Taking furlough days

Staff and administrators at the St. Joseph County Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will take 23 collective furlough days to help improve the agency’s financial standing.

During Tuesday’s monthly CMHSAS Board meeting, executive director Liz O’Dell said management will be taking seven unpaid days off, while staff members will take a total of six. O’Dell will take 10 furlough days before the agency’s fiscal year concludes Sept. 30.

O’Dell said the measure will save about $112,000. Halfway through its current fiscal year, the Centreville-based agency has a year-to-date deficit of $460,400.

The agency, which is currently under a hiring freeze, operates on an annual budget of $15.7 million.